Notre Dame football score predictions: Irish vs. Georgia Sugar Bowl staff picks

NEW ORLEANS — It’s game day eve in New Orleans. The No. 7 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-1) and the No. 2 seed Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) are one sleep away from the Sugar Bowl in the Superdome.

Here’s who five members of the Blue & Gold staff are picking to win Wednesday night’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup.

Todd D. Burlage: Notre Dame 27, Georgia 24

If Notre Dame was ever going to get its best shot at knocking off the mighty Georgia Bulldogs, this is the season. Yes, the Bulldogs — who have been to the CFP three times in the last four years — ended up the No. 2 overall seed in the CFP after beating Texas in the SEC Championship Game Dec. 7. But nothing has come easily for Georgia (11-2) this season.

The Bulldogs suffered a 41-34 loss to Alabama in September, then was throttled 28-10 by Ole Miss in early November. They only beat Kentucky 13-12, struggled to beat Mississippi State 41-31 and needed eight overtimes to beat rival Georgia Tech in the regular-season finale. Georgia ranks only 29th nationally in points per game (33.2), and No. 23 in points allowed per game (20.4), and it turned the ball over (18 times) this season about as much as it took it away (19 times).

Notre Dame matches up well here: The Irish pull the upset and advance to the national semifinal round.

Steve Downey: Georgia 17, Notre Dame 13

With Georgia quarterback Carson Beck officially ruled out for the rest of the season, I was tempted to take the Fighting Irish. However, Notre Dame needs to prove to me it can get it done on the biggest stage before I fully believe. It’s been three decades since Notre Dame has registered a victory in a major bowl, and this would qualify as a huge win for head coach Marcus Freeman and company.

The Irish are probably as well equipped as ever to finally end that drought, and I do think they have a puncher’s chance. But the Bulldogs’ defense is loaded with speed and depth, and comes at you in waves. Just ask the Texas Longhorns, who lost a pair of games to UGA and averaged just 17 points in the process.

Tyler Horka: Georgia 21, Notre Dame 17

The Bulldogs will be without starting quarterback Carson Beck, and they are not the same version of themselves that compiled a 42-2 record in the 2021-23 seasons. They’re much more vulnerable, as evidenced by a 28-point deficit to Alabama in an eventual seven-point loss and an 18-point loss to Ole Miss.

But having said all that, this is still Georgia, and this is still Georgia’s time of year. The game is being played in the South where there could be a pro-UGA crowd at the Superdome. These are just the kind of games I expect the Bulldogs to win — they’re 9-2 in bowl games in the Kirby Smart era, including a 5-1 playoff record — so I feel compelled pick them here, even if Notre Dame has a legit shot at taking them down, as it seems the Irish do.

The game will be won on the defensive side of the ball either way. Notre Dame’s offense will struggle like it hasn’t since the season opener against the only other SEC opponent it has faced this season in a 23-13 road win over Texas A&M, and that’s ultimately what it will come down to — not enough plays made on that side of the ball while Gunner Stockton and Georgia make just enough on the other.

Kyle Kelly: Notre Dame 27, Georgia 26

This year’s Georgia team is not like the ones that won championships in 2021 and 2022. However, they still have a championship pedigree that could give the Irish fits. But with starting quarterback Carson Beck’s season-ending elbow injury, I can’t fully buy into the Bulldogs, no matter how tough of a matchup it might become for the Irish.

I’ll take Notre Dame in a close one to give Marcus Freeman one of the marquee wins of his coaching career and of this college football season.

Jack Soble: Georgia 24, Notre Dame 21

The winner of this game will be my pick to reach the national championship. And every time I took a look at the Dawgs, I liked the way Notre Dame matches up with them… until graduate student defensive tackle Rylie Mills was ruled out for the season with a knee injury.

Without Mills, the Irish are missing three of their four best pass rushers. Only fellow graduate student DT Howard Cross III remains. Defensive coordinator Al Golden has proved me wrong before, but without Mills, I don’t know if Notre Dame can create the havoc on Stockton that it needs in order to force multiple turnovers. Pressuring Stockton was a critical element in my original prediction for this game, which had the Irish advancing to the national semifinals.

This is going to be a phenomenal night of football. Notre Dame will give Georgia everything it can handle. But with Mills out, the Bulldogs have the slight edge.